In her first 100 days as governor, Jenniffer González faces comparisons with her predecessors, particularly in the way they have exercised executive power through executive orders.
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In that initial period, governors such as Alejandro García Padilla, Ricardo Rosselló Nevares and Pedro Pierluisi used this mechanism to establish priorities, respond to emergencies and outline their public policy.
García Padilla signed 25 executive orders between January and April 2013, covering issues ranging from government transparency to environmental protection and the inclusion of immigrants in public services.
Rosselló Nevares, meanwhile, issued 29 executive orders in his first 100 days, many of them aimed at administrative restructuring, access to federal funds, technological development and wage fairness. In 2021, Pierluisi issued 12 orders, mainly focused on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, digitizing government and fighting corruption.
In González’s case, she has issued 20 executive orders, ranging from addressing the energy situation and creating the Faith-Based Office to establishing and implementing the “reshoring” strategy.
The following are the executive orders issued by the past governors, according to information from the Department of State:
Alejandro García Padilla
- EO-2013-001: to authorize the strategic activation of the Puerto Rico National Guard to provide support in surveillance tasks in port areas and airports to prevent the entry of drugs and illegal weapons into the country.
- EO-2013-002: to order consultation with the Secretary of the Interior prior to authorizing appointments to vacant positions or granting contracts or making amendments to existing contracts, with the purpose of reducing expenses in the government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2013-003: to implement additional control measures in the expenditure of public funds in relation to the use of official motor vehicles, use of escorts, use of cell phones and personal digital assistants, use of credit cards and official travel.
- EO-2013-004: to order the reinstatement of the name “Commonwealth of Puerto Rico” in all documents and official communications of the government of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2013-005: to delegate functions and duties to the Administrator of the Office of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2013-006: to establish a government of transparency based on access to public and reliable information and statistics.
- EO-2013-007: to create the position of chief public finance officer and assign responsibilities and duties.
- EO-2013-008: to order the Secretary of Education to adopt the necessary regulations to guarantee that all inhabitants of Puerto Rico have access to the public education system, regardless of their immigration status.
- EO-2013-009: to order the Secretary of Health to take the necessary measures to audit and supervise the compliance of medical-hospital institutions with the legislation in force, so that said institutions do not request or require any information or documentation regarding the immigration status of a patient who comes to their facilities to seek care in a medical emergency; and for other purposes.
- EO-2013-010: to order the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration to regulate the contracting of health benefit plans for employees of the Executive Branch in such a way as to include cohabitants and their dependents, as well as persons who are substantially dependent on the employees or their cohabitants in the coverage.
- EO-2013-011: to decree a state of emergency in the administrative processes of the Puerto Rico Police and exempt this government entity from the ordinary procedures for the acquisition of goods and/or services and contracts related to the acquisition of goods and services.
- EO-2013-012: to create the Puerto Rican Commission on the Transfer and Reception of the remains of Ramón Power y Giralt in Puerto Rico.
- EO-2013-013: to direct agencies to identify and establish initiatives for the creation of “web API’s” in coordination with and with the endorsement of the chief information officer of Puerto Rico for the purpose of making it feasible for agencies to use innovative technologies that simplify the provision of services through their respective electronic portals on the Internet and interagency communication.
- EO-2013-014: to delegate to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget the powers established in Section 4(e) of Act No. 147 of June 18, 1980, as amended, to implement fiscal control measures.
- EO-2013-015: to order the Planning Board to finalize and adopt the Puerto Rico Land Use Plan.
- EO-2013-016: to order the development of a study on the vulnerability of public infrastructure to climate change and the adoption of adaptation plans to address the findings of the study.
- EO-2013-017: to order the creation of the Puerto Rico Sustainability Action Council.
- EO-2013-018: to order the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions in Puerto Rico and the development of a plan to reduce these emissions in order to approach the carbon neutral goal.
- EO-2013-019: to order the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to carry out the national demarcation of the maritime-terrestrial zone.
- EO-2013-020: To reiterate the regulations applicable to the contracting of insurance covering the risks of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2013-021: to delegate to the Secretary of State the responsibility of defining, coordinating and implementing the foreign public policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and to order the agencies to coordinate with the Department of State all diligence concerning the establishment, maintenance and cultivation of relations with other countries, persons or entities residing outside the territorial limits of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2013-022: to authorize the use of the military forces of Puerto Rico to support the ceremony to receive the remains of Ramón Power y Giralt.
- EO-2013-023: to establish the multisectoral committee that will draft the proposed legislation to delimit and establish measures for the adequate management of the Model Forest National Ecological Corridor.
- EO-2013-024: to declare the cattle breeders and small ruminant producers sector in a state of emergency and authorize the disbursement of $600,000 from the Emergency Fund.
- EO-2013-025: to promote and encourage the purchase of Puerto Rican agricultural products and to repeal Executive Order 2008-55.
Ricardo Rosselló Nevares
- EO-2017-001: to enact fiscal control and economic reconstruction measures.
- EO-2017-002: to create the Federal Opportunity Center.
- EO- 2017-003: to activate the provisions of Act 76-2000, as amended.
- EO-2017-004: to create the interagency group on critical projects for 21st century infrastructure.
- EO-2017-005: to direct the departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government of Puerto Rico to implement the zero-based budgeting method.
- EO-2017-006: to implement the uniform public policy of the Puerto Rico government to guarantee equal pay for equal work,
- EO-2017-007: to promote bilingualism in the public education system.
- EO-2017-008: to delegate functions and duties to the Administrator of the Office of the Governor.
- EO-2017-009: to enact additional fiscal control measures.
- EO-2017-010: to establish the public policy of transparency and accessibility to public information in government entities.
- EO-2017-011: to clarify the functions of the secretary of public affairs and public policy of the Office of the Governor.
- EO-2017-012: to establish the multi-sector working group to achieve parity in Medicaid and Medicare funding.
- EO-2017-013: to establish the Women’s Council.
- EO-2017-014: to reestablish the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the Government of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2017-015: to create the Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service (PRITS).
- EO-2017-016: to create the Governor’s Advisory Council on the Construction Industry and to repeal Executive Order EO-2014-005.
- EO-2017-017: to divest the boxes designated for the Office of the Governor.
- EO-2017-018: to amend the Fusion Center in Compliance with the Federal Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act and to repeal administrative bulletin number OE-2013-054.
- EO-2017-019: to establish the positions of chief state administration and operations officer and chief state strategic planning officer.
- EO-2017-020: to delegate to the secretary of state the authority to lead the effort and facilitate the creation of integrated service centers.
- EO-2017-021: to establish as public policy to promote interagency agreements with the University of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2017-022: to amend Executive Order 2017-012 on the multisectoral working group to achieve parity in Medicaid and Medicare funding.
- EO-2017-023: to establish the Casa Mía Program.
- EO-2017-024: to establish the Coalition to Support Victims of Human Trafficking.
- EO-2017-025: to establish the Commission to Celebrate the Centennial Celebration of the Grant of American Citizenship.
- EO- 2017- 026: to increase the minimum wage in public service and government construction contracts.
- EO- 2017-027: to establish the Multisectoral Committee to Increase the Minimum Wage.
- EO-2017-028: to establish the “Fortaleza para ti” program attached to the Office of the First Lady.
- EO-2017-029: to declare a state of emergency in the Santa Rita urbanization, located in the Quebrada Vueltas neighborhood of the Municipality of Fajardo and order the creation of an interagency committee to provide the necessary assistance for the attention of this emergency.
Pedro Pierluisi
- EO-2021-001: to direct the Secretary of Health to design a massive campaign to administer COVID-19 tests.
- EO-2021-002: to direct the Department of Justice and the Department of Public Safety to establish collaborative agreements with federal agencies to attack corruption.
- EO-2021-003: to enact fiscal responsibility and expenditure control measures and repeal Administrative Bulletin Number 2017-001.
- EO-2021-004: to prohibit the official photo of the Governor in the agencies of the Government of Puerto Rico.
- EO-2021-005: to establish the structure of the Office of the Governor and to repeal administrative bulletins numbers 2019-002, 2019-003 and 2019-007.
- EO-2021-006: to appoint Mrs. Carmen Salgado Rodríguez as administrator of the Office of the Governor and to repeal bulletin number 2019-041.
- EO-2021-007: to enact as public policy the acceleration of digital government, the development of intercommunication and interoperability of government technology systems.
- EO-2021-008: to direct the chief innovation and information executive of the government to establish an electronic identity system for online access and to establish the citizen information portal.
- EO-2021-009: to amend Administrative Bulletin Number EO-2021-006 for the purpose of making a technical amendment.
- EO-2021-010: to address the emergency caused by COVID-19 in Puerto Rico and to order economic stabilization measures.
- EO-2021-011: to create the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Council and to repeal Executive Order 2017-004.
- EO-2021-012: to order the creation of a steering committee to oversee the public-private partnership contract for the transmission and distribution of electric energy granted to LUMA Energy.
- EO-2021-013: to declare a state of emergency due to the increase of domestic violence cases in Puerto Rico.
- EO-2021-014: to implement measures to address the emergency caused by COVID-19 in Puerto Rico and to repeal Administrative Bulletin No. EO-2021-010.
- EO-2021-015: to decree a state of emergency in the public schools of Puerto Rico and to activate the provisions of Act 20-2017 to expedite the work of their refurbishment.
- EO-2021-016: to amend Administrative Bulletin EO-2018-038 in order to modify the name of the “Special Commission to Commemorate the 500 Years of Existence of San Juan de Puerto Rico” and increase the participation of the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan in the commission.
- EO-2021-017: to authorize the opening of public and private schools in Puerto Rico under certain conditions as of March 1, 2021.
- EO-2021-018: to create the position of chief financial officer, delimit its functions and powers, and repeal Administrative Bulletin EO-2013-007.
- EO-2021-019: to implement measures to address the emergency caused by COVID-19 in Puerto Rico and to repeal administrative bulletin number EO-2021-014.
- EO-2021-020: to declare a state of emergency in the maritime transportation service in Vieques and Culebra and to activate the National Guard to support the Maritime Transportation Authority.
- EO-2021-021: to repeal and replace Administrative Bulletin 2021-015 to decree a state of emergency in the public schools of Puerto Rico and activate the provisions of Act 20-2017 to expedite the work of their refurbishment.
- EO-2021-022: to create the Municipal Affairs Decentralization Committee.
- EO-2021-023: to increase the minimum wage of workers in construction projects paid with federal public reconstruction funds and to repeal Administrative Bulletins EO-2028-033 and EO-2020-075.
- EO-2021-024: to declare an emergency in the infrastructure of Puerto Rico due to the damages caused by Hurricanes Irma and María, as well as by the earthquakes that occurred in 2020 and to activate the provisions of Act 76 of 2000, as amended.
- EO-2021-025: to create the multisectoral working group to achieve parity in Medicaid and Medicare funds received by Puerto Rico and to repeal Administrative Bulletin EO-2017-012.
- EO-2021-026: to implement measures to address the emergency caused by COVID-19 in Puerto Rico and to repeal administrative bulletin number EO-2021-019.
Jenniffer González
- EO-2025-001: to grant January 2 to public employees as a holiday and without charge of any leave.
- EO-2025-002: to establish a permit streamlining task force.
- EO-2025-003: to provide for processes to streamline permitting for federally funded projects and designate them as critical or strategic.
- EO-2025-004: to declare a state of emergency in areas affected by landslides that pose a hazard to road infrastructure, but not limited to roads.
- EO-2025-005: to establish the Office of the Energy Czar.
- EO-2025-006: to establish the Puerto Rico Energy Transformation Working Committee.
- EO-2025-007: to establish that every agency, instrumentality, office or dependency of the Executive Branch, regardless of its name, shall defend and implement the pro-statehood mandate.
- EO-2025-008: to establish the duties, functions and responsibilities of the Secretary of the Government.
- EO-2025-009: for the review and updating of government structures and systems, as well as for the modernization and simplification of processes, procedures, rules, regulations and other administrative provisions.
- EO-2025-010: to create the unit for the integral attention of the elderly, attached to the Office of the Governor.
- EO-2025-011: to establish the creation of an interagency committee among the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of the Treasury, the Financial Advisory Authority and Fiscal Agency, the Planning Board, and the Department of Labor and Human Resources, for the purpose of developing responsible budgets and promoting fiscal sustainability.
- EO-2025-012: to establish and implement the reshoring and investment promotion strategy for production in Puerto Rico.
- EO-2025-013: to order the activation and utilization of the personnel and equipment of the military forces of Puerto Rico to provide assistance to the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, the Ranger Corps, the Bureau of Emergency Management and Disaster Management, the Bureau of Police, the United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Public Safety in search and rescue work.
- EO-2025-014: to create the Santa Catalina Palace Foundation, assign its functions and powers, establish its organization and to repeal administrative bulletin EO-2018-037.
- EO-2025-015: to establish the public policy of promoting free and broad competition in public bidding processes and to repeal the last paragraph of Section 2 and Sections 4 through 8 of Administrative Bulletin 2022-014, which requires bidders of construction projects of government entities to sign a project labor agreement.
- EO-2025-016: to modify and extend the state of energy emergency, align priorities with the national energy emergency declaration, and authorize actions necessary to perform repair work on the system and to increase generation capacity.
- EO-2025-017: to grant as days off, charged to vacation leave, Monday, April 14 through Thursday, April 17, 2025.
- EO-2025-018: to establish an expedited process for the evaluation and approval of tax exemption applications under section 1101.01 of the Internal Revenue Code for nonprofit entities certified under section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
- EO-2025-019: to create the Office of Third Sector and Community Organizations, attached to the Office of the Governor.
- EO-2025-020: to create the Office of Faith-Based, attached to the Office of the Governor.
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This content was translated from Spanish to English using artificial intelligence and was reviewed by an editor before being published.
